. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/119 
25 May 2005 
 (05-2128) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS/USDA) and Food and 
Drug Administration  (FDA/HHS) (124) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Foods for human 
consumption in the United States, except for meat, poultry and egg products (ICS:  67.040) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Food Standards; 
General Principles and Food Standards M odernization  (22 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:   The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA) (we, our, the agencies) are proposing to establish a set of general principles for food standards.  The adherence to these principles will result in 
standards that will better promote honesty and fair  dealing in the interest of consumers and 
protect the public, allow for technological advanc es in food production, be consistent with 
international food standards to the extent feasi ble, and be clear, simple, and easy to use for 
both manufacturers and the agencies that enfo rce compliance with the standards.  The 
proposed general principles will establish the criteria that the agencies will use in 
considering whether a petition to establish, revi se, or eliminate a food standard will be the 
basis for a proposed rule.  In addition, each agency may propose to establish, revise, or 
eliminate a food standard on its own initiative or  may propose revisions to a food standard 
in addition to those a petitioner has request ed.  These proposed general principles are the 
agencies' first step in institu ting a process to modernize their st andards of identity (and any 
accompanying standards of quality and fill of  container) and standards of composition. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Prevention of deceptive practices;  protection of  human health. 
8. Relevant documents:   70 Federal Register (FR) 29214 20 May 2005;  Title 9 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 410 and Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 
130.  Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted. G/TBT/N/USA/119 
Page 2  
 
 9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:    18 August 2005 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body: 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-
9958.htm 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/
05-9958.pdf